Shamisen Brothers - Looking for information

[Pretas]

This was a Guitar Freaks-style arcade rhythm game where you pluck the strings of a plastic shamisen, released by Konami in 2003. Since it never received any updates or sequels, it must have been unsuccessful. It may have been the first rhythm game where the instruments had actual strings, instead of a solid strum bar. I saw a cabinet in the wild once, and held its instruments (they were quite fragile - they wouldn't have survived a week in your average American arcade), but it was non-working and I never got a chance to play it. I'm unsure of how the Japanese title is written, so I haven't been able to find any flyers, screens, or video footage that would show what the game looked and played like. Is anyone able to help?

[GaijinPunch]

Konami's page
Wikipedia J
Nico Nico video

A search on Yahoo Japan Auctions came up empty, which doesn't bode well.

[Pretas]

That video isn't of Shamisen Brothers, but of one of its songs played in Pop'n Music.

I'm guessing that the fragility of the instruments is the biggest reason why the game didn't catch on. I remember it felt like I could have snapped the shamisen's neck and torn out the strings easily.

[GaijinPunch]

Seems like their would be a brutal learning curve...

[Pretas]

Not as steep a curve as Koto Freaks would have. I got to play with one of those monsters once, and just trying to pluck the strings was a very humbling experience.